TORONTO [8 December 2016] A professional astrophysicist and an amateur astronomer have teamed up to reveal surprising details about an unusual millisecond pulsar (MSP) binary system comprising one of the fastest-spinning pulsars in our Galaxy and its unique companion star.

Artist’s rendition of a typical millisecond pulsar binary system in which the shape of the companion star (l.) is deformed by the gravitational pull of the pulsar (r.) seen emitting beams of radiation. Credit: NASA

Their observations, to be published in the Astrophysical Journal in December, are the first to identify “star spots” on an MSP’s companion star. Plus, the observations show that the companion has a strong magnetic field, and provide clues into why pulsars in some MSP binaries switch on and off.

John Antoniadis, a Dunlap Fellow with the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, and André van Staden, an amateur astronomer from South Africa, analyzed observations of the brightness of the companion star made by van Staden over a 15-month period, with his 30cm reflector telescope and CCD camera in his backyard observatory in Western Cape. The analysis revealed an unexpected rise and fall in the star’s brightness.

In a typical MSP binary, the gravity of the pulsar distorts the shape of the companion star, pulling it into a teardrop-shape. As it circles the pulsar, we see a cyclical rise and fall in the companion’s brightness. The companion is brightest at two points in its orbit, when we see its broad, tear-shaped profile; it is dimmest midway between those two points, when we see its smallest, circular profile. Naturally, the light curve measuring the brightness rises and falls in step with the companion’s orbital period.

André van Staden in his home observatory with his 30cm reflector telescope. Credit: André van Staden

But Antoniadis and van Staden’s observations revealed that the brightness of the companion wasn’t in sync with its 15-hour orbital period; instead the star’s peaks in brightness occur progressively later relative to the companion’s orbital position.

Antoniadis and van Staden concluded that this was caused by “starspots”, the equivalent of our Sun’s sunspots, and that the spots were lowering the brightness of the star. What’s more, the spots were much larger relative to the companion star’s diameter than our Sun’s sunspots.

They also realized that the companion star is not tidally locked to the pulsar—as the moon is to the Earth. Instead, they concluded that the companion’s rotational period is slightly shorter than its orbital period, resulting in the unexpected light curve.

The presence of starspots also led the collaborators to infer that the star has a strong magnetic field, a prerequisite of such spots.

A dedicated non-professional astronomer for many years, van Staden has a particular interest in pulsars and in 2014 came across Antoniadis’ research website listing MSP binaries with optical companions.

“I noted that the binary system MSP J1723-2837 is well suited for observing from South Africa,” van Staden says, “and that a light curve had not yet been determined for this particular system.”

“I also realized that observations were scarce because professionals do not have the luxury of using professional instruments for continuous observations. On the other hand, non-professionals can make these long-term observations.”

“The dataset was unlike anything I had ever seen,” says Antoniadis on receiving van Staden’s data, “both in terms of quality and timespan. And I urged André to continue observing for as long as possible.”

Observations such as van Staden’s are critical in answering questions about the evolution and complex relationship between the MSP and its companion in “black widow” and “redback” binaries—pairs of stars in which the pulsar, like its arachnid namesake, devours its companion.

In a typical scenario, a newly formed neutron star feeds off of gas gravitationally pulled from the companion. As the pulsar gains mass, it also gains angular momentum and spins faster.

Eventually, the neutron star is rotating hundreds of times a second. At this point, it enters the next phase of its evolution. The neutron star begins to emit beams of intense radiation that we see as a rapidly pulsating signal: a pulsar is born.

At this point, the pulsar also begins to give off intense gamma-ray radiation and a strong stellar wind that staunch the flow of material from its neighbour. The companion is no longer being cannibalized by the pulsar, but it has only traded the means by which it is being consumed. Now the radiation and wind from the pulsar are so intense they begin to erode the doomed star.

As complex as these MSP binary systems are, they have only gotten more perplexing in recent years with observations that pulsars turn off and return to a state in which they are feeding off material from their companion—and that they can make this transition multiple times.

It has been suggested that the pulsar’s stellar wind and radiation may be behind the transition. But an additional result from Antoniadis and van Staden’s observations is that the stellar wind from the pulsar is not affecting the companion.

Typically, a pulsar’s strong stellar wind and intense radiation output create a “hotspot” on the pulsar-side of the companion. It is as if the star has a “day” and “night” side. But the presence of the hotspot was not detectable in the data. This could mean that the wind is either absent entirely or is blowing in a direction other than toward the star.

Either way, this suggests that the companion’s magnetic field—and not the pulsar’s stellar wind and radiation—may be the mechanism that turns off pulsars.

Supplementary notes:

1) The MSP lies 2500 light-years away, in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. It rotates 540 times per second. The distance between the two stars is roughly 2 million kilometres, or 1/30th the distance between the Sun and Mercury. The pulsar is 1.3 times the mass of the Sun; the companion is 0.4 times the mass of the Sun.

2) Eclipsing MSPs are classified based on the mass of their companion star: “Black widow” companions are a few hundredths the mass of the Sun; the more massive “redback” companions range from 0.2 to 0.7 times the mass of the Sun.

-30-

An Active, Asynchronous Companion to a Redback Millisecond Pulsar: http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/833/1/L12

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 40 faculty, postdocs, students and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, groundbreaking research, world-class training, and public engagement. The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation; Dark Energy; large-scale structure; the Cosmic Microwave Background; the interstellar medium; galaxy evolution; cosmic magnetism; and time-domain science.

The Dunlap Institute, Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, and Centre for Planetary Sciences comprise the leading centre for astronomical research in Canada, at the leading research university in the country, the University of Toronto.

The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion.

TORONTO [15 November 2016] John Antoniadis, a Dunlap Fellow at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, has been awarded a prestigious Polanyi Prize in Physics for his research into neutron stars and other compact astronomical objects.

“I am humbled to receive this honour,” says Antoniadis. “I sincerely hope that my contributions to the understanding of neutron stars reflects the outstanding work carried out across Canada—in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton and elsewhere.”

The Polanyi Prizes were established in 1987 by the Council of Ontario Universities to honour the achievement of John Charles Polanyi, who received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. They are awarded annually to outstanding researchers in the early stages of their career and pursuing post-doctoral research at an Ontario university. Antoniadis is one of five receiving their prize today who represent the province’s next generation of innovators.

“The Polanyi Prize recognizes research which would have been impossible without the continuing support of the Dunlap Institute and the University of Toronto,” says Antoniadis, “and I consider myself lucky to be part of the institute and the Canadian pulsar community.”

Antoniadis uses pulsars—rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit a beam of radiation—as laboratories to test some of the most fundamental questions in modern physics. He is also advancing research into the measurement of the masses of millisecond pulsars; i.e. pulsars with rotational periods measured in thousandths of a second.

Rendering of a binary comprising a pulsar (l.) and a white dwarf star (r.). Image: Dr. John Antoniadis

In work prior to the February 2016 announcement of the first direct detection of gravitational waves, Antoniadis and collaborators used observations of binary pulsars to demonstrate that gravitational waves follow the predictions of Einstein’s General Relativity.

According to Dunlap director Prof. Bryan Gaensler, “John is a uniquely creative and energetic researcher who has made dramatic new progress on a fundamental problem in astronomy: how much do stars weigh? His signature achievement—determining masses of stars thousands of light-years away to multiple decimal places—is a triumph of intellect and ingenuity.

“His work is the embodiment of the innovative approach that we pursue at the Dunlap Institute,” says Gaensler, “and the Polanyi Prize is just one of the many accolades that I expect John to accumulate over his career.”

Antoniadis received his PhD from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and has been a Dunlap Fellow since 2014.

In addition to the Polanyi Prize, Antoniadis has also received the Otto Hahn Medal of the Max-Planck Society (2014); Best PhD in Gravitational, Nuclear and Atomic Physics (2013); and Best PhD, University of Bonn (2013).

The Polanyi Prizes were created and are funded by the Ontario government and are administrated by the Council of Ontario Universities. COU is “the voice of Ontario’s universities, promoting the value of education, research and innovation that leads to social, cultural and economic success.”

Antoniadis and the other 2016 winners were presented with their awards on Tuesday, Nov. 15th, at a ceremony at Massey College, University of Toronto.

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 40 faculty, postdocs, students and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, groundbreaking research, world-class training, and public engagement. The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation; Dark Energy; large-scale structure; the Cosmic Microwave Background; the interstellar medium; galaxy evolution; cosmic magnetism; and time-domain science.

The Dunlap Institute, Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, and Centre for Planetary Sciences comprise the leading centre for astronomical research in Canada, at the leading research university in the country, the University of Toronto.

The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion.

]]>http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/dunlap-fellow-dr-john-antoniadis-awarded-prestigious-2016-polanyi-prize-in-physics/feed/0Funding Announced for Australian Centre of Excellence that includes University Of Torontohttp://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/funding-announced-for-australian-centre-of-excellence-that-includes-university-of-toronto/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=funding-announced-for-australian-centre-of-excellence-that-includes-university-of-toronto
http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/funding-announced-for-australian-centre-of-excellence-that-includes-university-of-toronto/#commentsFri, 07 Oct 2016 17:30:51 +0000http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/?p=8817Australian government announces funding for CAASTRO-3D—an Australian-centred, international collaboration that includes the University of Toronto.

TORONTO [7 Oct 2016] In September 2016, the Australian government announced $30.3 million in funding for the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions, or CAASTRO-3D—an Australian-centred, international collaboration that includes the University of Toronto.

At the University of Toronto, Professors Bryan Gaensler and Roberto Abraham are CAASTRO-3D partner investigators. Gaensler is Director of the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, and from 2011 to 2014 was the founding director of CAASTRO—the predecessor of CAASTRO-3D.

CAASTRO-3D combines international expertise in radio and optical astronomy, theoretical astrophysics, and computation in an “all-sky” approach to understanding the Universe by making and synthesizing observations of the entire sky.

By observing the cosmos with a wider field of view, higher sensitivity, and over a wider range of time-scales than ever before, CAASTRO-3D aims to answer fundamental questions in astrophysics, including the origin of matter and the periodic table of elements, and the origin of ionisation in the Universe.

In an ARC media release, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the ARC, Leanne Harvey said, “[The nine new Centres of Excellence] involve significant research collaboration which will allow the concentration of complementary research resources of universities, publicly-funded research organisations, other research bodies, governments and businesses, to support outstanding research.”

According to Gaensler, “The University of Toronto played an important role in the original CAASTRO centre that commenced in 2011, working on radio observations of evolving galaxies,” says Gaensler. “That contribution has been recognized by an expanded part in CAASTRO-3D, in which we will bring our unique skills in radio and optical astronomy to a range of problems, ranging from the birth of the first stars to the structure of the Milky Way.

“This is really fantastic news for the growing partnership between U of T and Australian astronomy. We look forward to the chance for us and our students to do more great science with our Aussie colleagues.”

(Written with contributions from the Australian Research Council)

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 40 faculty, postdocs, students and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, groundbreaking research, world-class training, and public engagement. The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation, Dark Energy, large-scale structure, the Cosmic Microwave Background, the interstellar medium, galaxy evolution, cosmic magnetism and time-domain science. The Dunlap Institute, together with the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, and the Centre for Planetary Sciences, comprise the leading research centre for astronomy in Canada, at the leading research university in the country. The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion.

The University of Toronto invites applications for Dunlap Postdoctoral Fellowships within the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics. This growing unit pursues groundbreaking research in experimental astrophysics, in close collaboration with Toronto colleagues in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (DAA), the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) and the Center for Planetary Sciences (CPS).

Dunlap Fellows are expected to conduct a program of original research either independently or in collaboration with others at the University, and will be offered professional development and mentoring across a range of areas relevant to a scientific career. Exceptional candidates in instrumentation, software, or observation are encouraged to apply. Fellows have access to laboratories, computing clusters and fabrication facilities, and can propose for additional support for their experimental or computational plans. Dunlap Fellows are also strongly encouraged to participate in the Institute’s outreach and training initiatives. The range of activities and opportunities in research, outreach and training can be seen in the annual reports on the Dunlap Institute’s web site.

The Dunlap Institute, DAA, CITA and CPS together host over 130 staff and students in astronomy, who conduct a diverse research program across instrumentation, observation, computation and theory. The Dunlap Institute is located on a beautiful 19th century campus in the heart of one of the world’s great cities. Rated as having one of the highest standards of living in the world, Toronto offers a huge range of indoor and outdoor pursuits, outstanding food and music, and a vibrant and diverse cultural community.

The Dunlap Institute is committed to a flexible and inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from qualified women and men, members of visible minorities, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and potential two-body hires. Subject to immigration regulations, successful candidates will be given the option to take up their Fellowships as part-time appointments (such a request need not be made as part of a candidate’s initial application).

Appointments are initially for three years, with a subsequent possibility of extension for one further year subject to outstanding performance in public outreach and education activities.. Dunlap Fellowships include an annual salary of CAD $68000 plus generous benefits, a research allowance of CAD $18000 per year, relocation assistance, and the opportunity to request additional research funds from the Dunlap Institute.

The approximate expected starting date is September 1, 2017. Applicants should send a cover letter including a summary of their research program not to exceed 300 words, a curriculum vitae, a publication list, and a statement of research interests not to exceed 3 pages, and arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to fellowships@dunlap.utoronto.ca by November 1, 2016.

Employment as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto is covered by the terms of the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement.

This job is posted in accordance with the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement.

The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

]]>http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/postdoctoral-position/feed/0X Marks the Spot at the Centre of the Milky Way Galaxyhttp://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/x-marks-the-spot-at-the-centre-of-the-milky-way-galaxy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=x-marks-the-spot-at-the-centre-of-the-milky-way-galaxy
http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/x-marks-the-spot-at-the-centre-of-the-milky-way-galaxy/#commentsTue, 19 Jul 2016 11:00:44 +0000http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/?p=8428Two astronomers—with the help of Twitter—have uncovered the strongest evidence yet that an enormous X-shaped structure made of stars lies within the central bulge of the Milky Way Galaxy.

TORONTO [For Immediate Release] Two astronomers—with the help of Twitter—have uncovered the strongest evidence yet that an enormous X-shaped structure made of stars lies within the central bulge of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Previous computer models, observations of other galaxies, and observations of our own galaxy have suggested that the X-shaped structure existed. But no one had observed it directly; and some astronomers argued that previous research that pointed indirectly to the existence of the X could be explained in other ways.

WISE all-sky image of Milky Way Galaxy. The circle is centred on the Galaxy’s central region. The inset shows an enhanced version of the same region that shows a clearer view of the X-shaped structure. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech; D. Lang/Dunlap Institute

“There was controversy about whether the X-shaped structure existed,” says Dustin Lang, a Research Associate at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, and co-author of the paper describing the discovery. “But our paper gives a good view of the core of our own galaxy. I think it has provided pretty good evidence for the existence of the X-shaped structure.”

The results appear in the July issue of the Astronomical Journal. The lead author is Melissa Ness, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg.

The Milky Way Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy: a disk-shaped collection of dust, gas and billions of stars, 100,000 light-years in diameter. It is far from a simple disk structure, being comprised of two spiral arms, a bar-shaped feature that runs through its centre, and a central bulge of stars. The central bulge, like other barred galaxy’s bulges, resembles a rectangular box or peanut when viewed—as we view it—from within the plane of the galaxy. The X-shaped structure is an integral component of the bulge.

Astronomers think the bulge could have formed in two different ways: it may have formed when the Milky Way Galaxy merged with other galaxies; or it may have formed without the help of external influences as an outgrowth of the bar, which itself forms from the evolving galactic disk. Lang and Ness’s finding supports the latter model which predicts the box- or peanut-shaped bulge and the galactic X.

This latest, clearest view of the bulge emerged when Lang re-analyzed previously released data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), a space telescope launched by NASA in 2009. Before ending its initial mission in 2011, WISE surveyed the entire sky in infrared—imaging three-quarters of a billion galaxies, stars and asteroids.

“The bulge is a key signature of formation of the Milky Way Galaxy,” says Ness. “If we understand the bulge we will understand the key processes that have formed and shaped our galaxy.”

“The shape of the bulge tells us about how it has formed. We see the X-shape and boxy morphology so clearly in the WISE image and this demonstrates that internal formation processes have been the ones driving the bulge formation.”

It is also evidence that our galaxy did not experience major merging events since the bulge formed. If it had, interactions with other galaxies would have disrupted its shape.

One of the original tweets showing the WISE map of the Milky Way Galaxy. The “X” is visible in the centre of the image. Credit: D. Lang; Dunlap Institute

Lang’s analysis was originally intended to aid in his research in mapping the web of galaxies beyond the Milky Way Galaxy. To help explore the maps he’d developed from the WISE data, he created an interactive map-browsing website and tweeted an image of the entire sky.

“Ness saw the tweet and immediately recognized the importance of the X-shaped structure,” says Lang. “We arranged to meet at an upcoming conference we were both attending. The paper was born from that meeting. That’s the power of large surveys and open science!”

1) NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, manages and operates WISE for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The spacecraft was put into hibernation mode in 2011, after it scanned the entire sky twice, thereby completing its main objectives. In September 2013, WISE was reactivated, renamed NEOWISE and assigned a new mission to assist NASA’s efforts to identify potentially hazardous near-Earth objects. For more information on WISE: http://nasa.gov/wise

2) With contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 40 faculty, postdocs, students and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, groundbreaking research, world-class training, and public engagement. The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation, Dark Energy, large-scale structure, the Cosmic Microwave Background, the interstellar medium, galaxy evolution, cosmic magnetism and time-domain science. The Dunlap Institute, together with the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, and the Centre for Planetary Sciences, comprise the leading research centre for astronomy in Canada, at the leading research university in the country. The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion.

]]>http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/x-marks-the-spot-at-the-centre-of-the-milky-way-galaxy/feed/0Warm Jupiters Not As Lonely As Expectedhttp://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/warm-jupiters-not-as-lonely-as-expected/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=warm-jupiters-not-as-lonely-as-expected
http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/warm-jupiters-not-as-lonely-as-expected/#commentsThu, 14 Jul 2016 08:00:27 +0000http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/?p=8332A team including astronomers from the University of Toronto has given us our clearest understanding yet of a class of exoplanets called “warm Jupiters”, showing that many have unexpected planetary companions.

TORONTO [For immediate release] After analyzing four years of Kepler space telescope observations, astronomers from the University of Toronto have given us our clearest understanding yet of a class of exoplanets called “Warm Jupiters”, showing that many have unexpected planetary companions.

The team’s analysis, published July 10th in the Astrophysical Journal, provides strong evidence of the existence of two distinct types of Warm Jupiters, each with their own formation and dynamical history.

The two types include those that have companions and thus, likely formed where we find them today; and those with no companions that likely migrated to their current positions.

According to lead-author Chelsea Huang, a Dunlap Fellow at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, “Our findings suggest that a big fraction of Warm Jupiters cannot have migrated to their current positions dynamically and that it would be a good idea to consider more seriously that they formed where we find them.”

Warm Jupiters are large, gas-giant exoplanets—planets found around stars other than the Sun. They are comparable in size to the gas-giants in our Solar System. But unlike the Sun’s family of giant planets, Warm Jupiters orbit their parent stars at roughly the same distance that Mercury, Venus and the Earth circle the Sun. They take 10 to two hundred days to complete a single orbit.

Because of their proximity to their parent stars, they are warmer than our system’s cold gas giants—though not as hot as Hot Jupiters, which are typically closer to their parent stars than Mercury.

It has generally been thought that Warm Jupiters didn’t form where we find them today; they are too close to their parent stars to have accumulated large, gas-giant-like atmospheres. So, it appeared likely that they formed in the outer reaches of their planetary systems and migrated inward to their current positions, and might in fact continue their inward journey to become Hot Jupiters. On such a migration, the gravity of any Warm Jupiter would have disturbed neighbouring or companion planets, ejecting them from the system.

But, instead of finding “lonely”, companion-less Warm Jupiters, the team found that 11 of the 27 targets they studied have companions ranging in size from Earth-like to Neptune-like.

“And when we take into account that there is more analysis to come,” says Huang, “the number of Warm Jupiters with smaller neighbours may be even higher. We may find that more than half have companions.”

Supplementary notes:

1. Launched in 2009, the Kepler space telescope has discovered over 2000 exoplanets orbiting distant stars located in a patch of sky in the constellation Cygnus (and the number is rising as exoplanet candidates are confirmed as actual exoplanets through follow-up observations). Kepler cannot see an exoplanet orbiting its parent star; they are too far away, too small, and their parent stars too bright for any telescope to resolve them. Instead, Kepler measures the brightness of a star with enough accuracy to detect the slight decrease in brightness caused by an exoplanet moving in front of it.

2. In addition to the insight into Warm Jupiters, the analysis also provided the most conclusive evidence yet that Hot Jupiters lack companions and likely migrated to their current orbits. One exception is the recently discovered HJ known as WASP-47b, which was found to have companions.

3. NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, manages the Kepler and K2 missions for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, managed Kepler mission development. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation operates the flight system with support from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 40 faculty, postdocs, students and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, groundbreaking research, world-class training, and public engagement. The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation, Dark Energy, large-scale structure, the Cosmic Microwave Background, the interstellar medium, galaxy evolution, cosmic magnetism and time-domain science. The Dunlap Institute, together with the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, and the Centre for Planetary Sciences, comprise the leading research centre for astronomy in Canada, at the leading research university in the country. The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion.

A “tile” of 16 dipoles or antennas. MWA comprises 128 such tiles, arrayed in the Western Australian outback. Image: MWA

On June 3, 2016, the University of Toronto officially joined the international consortium operating the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) radio telescope in Australia.

The MWA is an interferometric radio telescope with over 2000 separate antennas located in the Western Australian outback. The maximum distance between antennas is approximately 3km, and the entire array has a collecting area of roughly 2000 sq. metres.

Using the MWA, astronomers observe hydrogen gas in the distant Universe, at a time when the first stars and galaxies were forming; they survey radio emission from the Milky Way Galaxy, enabling the study of our galaxy’s magnetic field; they search for short-lived and variable sources of radio waves like pulsars, X-ray binaries and neutron stars; and they monitor “space weather” caused by the Sun.

The MWA has been in operation at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) since 2012. The consortium includes partners from Australia, India, New Zealand, China and the United States.

U of T’s MWA representative is the director of the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, Prof. Bryan Gaensler. “The MWA is a project that marries ground-breaking technology and engineering with exciting new science,” says Gaensler. “This combination is what we at Dunlap do best, and the MWA therefore presents major new opportunities for us.”

The MWA is one of four radio telescopes designated as a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) which, when completed in the mid-2020s, will be the largest radio telescope ever built. The SKA collaboration currently includes ten countries.

With several thousand antennas at the MRO and a sister-site in South Africa, the SKA will perform as a single, intercontinental radio telescope able to conduct new tests of General Relativity; observe star and galaxy formation in the very early Universe; and investigate dark energy and cosmic magnetism. SKA will even be used in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI).

In addition to his role with the MWA, Prof. Gaensler is the Canadian SKA Science Director & Chair of the ACURA Advisory Council on the SKA (AACS). “To maintain U of T’s standing as the leading centre for astronomical research in Canada, it is vital that we continue to participate in major international programs and partnerships”, says Gaensler. “Our membership in the MWA consortium and our participation in the SKA keep us at the leading edge of radio astronomy.”

It is also in keeping with a priority established by U of T President Meric Gertler in 2015. The goal, he has stated, is to “…position the University of Toronto as a strong research and teaching partner with leading peer institutions around the world, while creating more opportunities for our students to benefit from an internationalized learning experience.”

The University of Toronto joins an already productive MWA collaboration that has produced more than 70 papers and is currently being upgraded to improve its resolution by a factor of two and its sensitivity by a factor of 10.

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 40 faculty, postdocs, students and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, groundbreaking research, world-class training, and public engagement. The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation; Dark Energy; large-scale structure; the Cosmic Microwave Background; the interstellar medium; galaxy evolution; cosmic magnetism; and time-domain science. The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion.

]]>http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/university-of-toronto-joins-murchison-widefield-array-consortium/feed/0Assistant Professor Position Search – Experimental Astrophysics or Astronomical Instrumentationhttp://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/assistant-professor-position-search-experimental-astrophysics-or-astronomical-instrumentation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=assistant-professor-position-search-experimental-astrophysics-or-astronomical-instrumentation
http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/assistant-professor-position-search-experimental-astrophysics-or-astronomical-instrumentation/#commentsMon, 20 Jun 2016 18:25:06 +0000http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/?p=8322Applications now welcome for a tenure-stream faculty appointment in experimental astrophysics at the University of Toronto.

We seek applicants in experimental astrophysics or astronomical instrumentation. The successful candidate is expected to establish and lead a dynamic externally funded research program, supervise graduate students, teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and engage in university service activities. The selection will be based primarily on the applicant’s excellence in research and teaching. Excellence in research is evidenced primarily by the quality of published papers and other documents submitted for review. The successful candidate for this position is expected to pursue innovative research at the highest international level and to continue an established record of publishing articles in the leading academic journals in the field. Participation in major international conferences and invited seminars at leading institutions, and other noteworthy activities in Astronomy and Astrophysics that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline are assets. Evidence for excellence in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate level, including lecture preparation and delivery, curriculum development, and development of online material/lectures, is required. Applicants must have earned a PhD in astronomy, astrophysics, or a related field at the time of appointment or shortly after.

The University of Toronto (www.utoronto.ca) offers the opportunity to teach, conduct research, and live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. The Dunlap Institute has a strong focus on developing innovative astronomical instrumentation and technology, has a large prize postdoctoral program (the Dunlap Fellowships) and has substantive programs in professional training and public outreach. The Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) and the Centre for Planetary Studies (CPS) are also part of the graduate department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Toronto astronomers have access to a wide arrange of observational facilities with guaranteed access to JWST, TMT, MWA and CHIME. The Dunlap Institute has facilitated Canadian access to LSST.

All application materials should be submitted online by November 15, 2016. Submission guidelines can be found at: http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. We recommend combining attached documents into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. Applicants should submit their curriculum vitae including a full list of publications, a research statement including laboratory plans, and a teaching statement including outreach experience and interests.

Applicants should also ask at least three referees to send letters directly to the department via e-mail to: astrochair@astro.utoronto.ca. Please ensure the candidate’s name is included in the subject line and that letters are on letterhead and signed. Requests for more information can be directed in confidence to the same email address.

The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

We seek applicants in experimental astrophysics or astronomical instrumentation. The successful candidate is expected to establish and lead a dynamic externally funded research program, supervise graduate students, teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and engage in university service activities. The selection will be based primarily on the applicant’s excellence in research and teaching. Excellence in research is evidenced primarily by the quality of published papers and other documents submitted for review. The successful candidate for this position is expected to pursue innovative research at the highest international level and to continue an established record of publishing articles in the leading academic journals in the field. Participation in major international conferences and invited seminars at leading institutions, and other noteworthy activities in Astronomy and Astrophysics that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline are assets. Evidence for excellence in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate level, including lecture preparation and delivery, curriculum development, and development of online material/lectures, is required. Applicants must have earned a PhD in astronomy, astrophysics, or a related field at the time of appointment or shortly after.

The University of Toronto (www.utoronto.ca) offers the opportunity to teach, conduct research, and live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. The Dunlap Institute has a strong focus on developing innovative astronomical instrumentation and technology, has a large prize postdoctoral program (the Dunlap Fellowships) and has substantive programs in professional training and public outreach. The Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) and the Centre for Planetary Studies (CPS) are also part of the graduate department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Toronto astronomers have access to a wide arrange of observational facilities with guaranteed access to JWST, TMT, MWA and CHIME. The Dunlap Institute has facilitated Canadian access to LSST.

All application materials should be submitted online by November 15, 2016. Submission guidelines can be found at: http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. We recommend combining attached documents into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. Applicants should submit their curriculum vitae including a full list of publications, a research statement including laboratory plans, and a teaching statement including outreach experience and interests.

Applicants should also ask at least three referees to send letters directly to the department via e-mail to: astrochair@astro.utoronto.ca. Please ensure the candidate’s name is included in the subject line and that letters are on letterhead and signed. Requests for more information can be directed in confidence to the same email address.

The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

]]>http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/assistant-professor-experimental-astrophysics-or-astronomical-instrumentation/feed/0New Clues in the Fast Radio Burst Mysteryhttp://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/new-clues-in-the-fast-radio-burst-mystery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-clues-in-the-fast-radio-burst-mystery
http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/new-clues-in-the-fast-radio-burst-mystery/#commentsWed, 02 Dec 2015 13:00:24 +0000http://www.dunlap.utoronto.ca/?p=7682A team including astronomers from the U of T has discovered a new Fast Radio Burst that sheds new light on the nature of these strange cosmic events.

Artist impression of a Fast Radio Burst (FRB) reaching Earth. The colors represent the burst arriving at different radio wavelengths, with long wavelengths (red) arriving several seconds after short wavelengths (blue). This delay is called dispersion and occurs when radio waves travel through cosmic plasma. Credit: Jingchuan Yu, Beijing Planetarium

TORONTO [2 December 2015] A team including astronomers from the University of Toronto has discovered a unique flash of radio energy from space. It is the most recent detection of a type of enigmatic signal known as Fast Radio Bursts. Designated FRB 110523, the burst is unique among FRBs and sheds new light on the nature of these strange cosmic events.

Both their distance and true nature remain mysteries. Since their discovery in 2006, astronomers thought they could be as close as within our own Milky Way Galaxy, or so distant that they came from halfway across the Universe. The new data rules out existing models and sends theorists back to the drawing board.

Astronomers hypothesize that the bursts could come from the birth of black holes, mergers of neutron stars, or flares from magnetars—stars with powerful magnetic fields.

Kiyoshi Masui of University of British Columbia is lead author of a paper to be published this week in Nature that describes the discovery. Co-author Ue-Li Pen is with the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and an associate faculty member of the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, U of T.

The observations indicate that previous interpretations of distances and propagation effects were incorrect, ruling out most of the proposed models. Says Masui of the team’s results, “This significantly narrows down the source’s environment and the type of event that triggered the burst.”

The observations also show that the signal passed through a powerful magnetic field on its way to Earth, as well as a cloud of gas within a hundred thousand light-years of the source. These findings suggest the source may be a recent supernova or the interior of a star-forming nebula, and seem to rule out the possibility that they are in galactic nuclei.

Because of their ephemeral nature, FRBs are extremely difficult to observe and FRB 110523 wasn’t found during a real time search of the sky. Rather, the team of astronomers found the signal by sifting through 700 hours of archival data from the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope as part of a survey initiated by Masui, Pen and others. New analysis techniques developed by this team of cosmologists enabled efficient searches leading to this unique discovery.

Says Pen, “This is the second time the team persevered to overcome the odds to open a new viewpoint of the Universe. The data was originally taken for a 21cm survey which was previously thought impossible and has since led to a new generation of telescopes including CHIME in Canada.”

The 100-meter Green Bank Telescope is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope. Its location in the National Radio Quiet Zone and the West Virginia Radio Astronomy Zone protects the incredibly sensitive telescope from unwanted radio interference, enabling it to perform unique observations.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

The researchers wish to acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation (Grant Number: 1211777) and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant Number: 2012AA121701).

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics continues the legacy of the David Dunlap Observatory of developing innovative astronomical instrumentation, including instrumentation for the largest telescopes in the world. The research of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows spans the depths of the Universe, from the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, to the formation of stars, the evolution and nature of galaxies, dark energy, the Cosmic Microwave Background, and SETI. The institute also continues a strong commitment to developing the next generation of astronomers and fostering public engagement in science.